Sand timing instrument



Dec. 12, 1944. F. H. HAGNER SAND TIMING INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 20

39 is braced by fitting in the notch 42 formed in one side of the supporting ring 33.

The operation of the device is as follows? With the device in the position shown in Figure 2, the indicator hand is moved to a desired position to register with the graduations upon the dial face 2|, and the valve I1 is opened in a desired amount to selectively control the speed with which the compartment [4 may be emptied of the sand. When the valve I1 is moved to the position shown in Figure 13, the plunger weight will descend as the sand passes down through the passageway I6 and the beveled edge 32 of the ring will engage the beveled portion 4| of the latch 39, and push the latch to a disengaging position whereby the shoulder 40 will disengage the supporting ring 33. As the sand continues to fall through the passageway [6 into the compartment IS, the weight 25 will force the supporting ring 33 downwardly, in this way causing the plunger rod or shaft 34 to be moved downwardly within the felt-lined sleeve 36 and pushing the springpressed plunger 38 downwardly to a contacting position with a suitable type of instrument. The position of the valve I1 is selected in advance, and the valve is moved to a desired position which will cause the sand to fal1 from compartment I4 into a compartment l5 within a pre-selected time interval. This will control the time'at which the spring-pressed pin 38 will contact with another selected instrument of a desired type.

- When it is desired to reset the sand timing instrument, the instrument is inverted and may rest upon the tapering rubber bumper cap I l, and the weighted plunger 25 will immediately move to the position shown in Figure 2, it being borne in mind that the sand timing instrument is inverted and the cushion plate 21 will rest within the socket 28. The latch 39 will automatically engage the supporting plate 33 and when the sand has passed from the compartment [5 into the compartment [4 in thi refilling position, the valve I! is closed and the sand timing instrument is again in position for use. The present device works on the same general principle as the well-known sand hour-glass. The sleeve 36 is felt-lined so as to prevent sand from passing down into the sleeve. The partition plug I3 is preferably concav at both ends to direct the sand toward the passageway [6.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the use of the present device with any particular type of instrument for the reason that the instrument may be used for many purposes and in conjunction with other types of instruments whereby a timed contact is necessary. For instance, the present device may be used for a drift indicator to determine the amount in degrees that the longitudinal center of the plunger rod may be off the true vertical center, or this rod may be used to move a trigger or other mechanism to release a falling object and register the degree of tilt. For instance mechanism might be employed for utilizing the present device in conjunction with a device such as is illustrated in my Patent #2,219,990, issued October 29, 1940, relating to Angle determining devices, or as illustrated in my pending application Serial Number 368,698, filed December 5, 1940, relating to Observation and angle-determining instrument.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A timin instrument of the class described comprising a casing having a primary compartment and an auxiliary compartment, a granular material in said primary compartment adapted to flow into said auxiliary compartment, a weight slidably mounted in the primary compartment, a valve for controlling the passing of the granular material from one compartment to the other, the granular material when in the primary compartmentbeing adapted to support the weight in an inoperative position, an actuating member slidably mounted within the casing and having means engageable by the weight, a latch for holding the actuating member in an inoperative position, and said weight constituting means for automatically releasing said latch when a predetermined amount of granular material has fallen from the primary compartment into the auxiliary compartment.

2. A timing instrument of the class described comprising a casing, said casing having a primary and an auxiliary compartment, a granular material carried in one compartment and adapted to pass to the other compartment, a valve for controlling the passing of said material from one compartment to the other, a weight slidably mounted within the primary compartment, a latch-engaging ring suspended below the weight, the weight and ring being adapted to be supported in an inoperative position when the primary compartment is filled with said granular material, an actuating rod extending longitudinally of the 09.5-- ing and having an instrument-engaging means at its outer extremity, a supporting ring carried by said actuatin rod, a spring latch carried within the primary compartment and having means for engaging the supporting ring for holding the supporting ring and rod in a set position, and the latch-engaging ring being adapted to engage the latch, and move the latch to 'a releasing position when said valve is opened and a predetermined amount of granular material passes into said aux iliary compartment.

3. A timing instrument of the class described comprising a casing, said casing having a primary and an auxiliary compartment, a granular material carried in one compartment and adapted to pass to the other compartment, a valve for controlling the passing of said material from one compartment to the other, a weight slidably mounted within the primary compartment, 9. latch-engaging ring suspended below the weight, the weight and ring being adapted to be supported in an inoperative position when the primary compartment is filled with said granular material, an actuating rod extendin longitudinally of the casing and having an instrument-engaging means at its outer extremity, a supporting ring carried by said actuating rod, a spring latch carried within the primary compartment and having means for engaging the supporting ring for holding the supporting ring and rod in a set position, the latchengaging ring being adapted to engage the latch and move the latch to a releasing position when said valve is opened and a predetermined amount of granular material begins to travel from the primary compartment to the auxiliary compartment, said latch having a shoulder portion for supporting the supporting ring, and said supporting ring having a notch for receiving and uiding said latch.

4. A timing instrument of the class described comprising a casing, said casing having a primary and an auxiliary compartment, a granular material carried in one compartment and'adapted to flow into the other compartment, a valve for controlling the passing of' materia1 from one compartme'nt to the other, a weight slidably mounted within the primary compartment, a latch-engaging ring suspended below the weight, the weight and ring being adapted to be upported in an inoperative position when the primary compartment is filled with said granular material, an actuating rod extending longitudinally of the casing and having an instrument engaging means at its outer extremity, a supporting ring carried by said actuating rod, a spring latch carried Within the primary compartment and having means for engaging the supporting ring for holding the supporting ring and rod in a set position, the latch-engaging ring being adapted to engage the latch and move the latch to a releasing position when said valve is opened and said granular material begins to travel from the primary compartment to the auxiliary compartment, said weight having a tapered outer end, means carried by the casing for receiving the tapered outer end of the weightand said weight having a plurality of drain channels having open ends leading toward the bottom of the weight.

5. A timing instrument of the class described comprising an elongated hollow casing having primary and auxiliary compartments, a partition separating the compartments, a pulverized material carried in one compartment and adapted to flow into the other compartment, a valve carried by the partition for controlling the passage of said pulverized material from one compartment to the other, an actuating rod slidably mounted through said casing, weight means for moving said rod longitudinally of the casing, said weight means being located in the primary compartment and being adapted to be supported in an inoperative position by said pulverized material located within the primary compartment, an indicator for the valve to facilitate the selective positioning of the indicator to time the passage of said pulverized material from the primary compartment to the auxiliary compartment, the weight Within the primary compartment being adapted to move the actuating rod longitudinally to cause the'actuating rod to contact a selected object, a guiding sleeve for said actuating rod, a housing carried by the outer end of the guiding sleeve, a spring-pressed pin carried within the housing and engaging said actuating rod, the springpressed pin constituting a contacting extremity for said actuating rod.

6. A timing instrument of the class described comprising an elongated hollow casing having primary and auxiliary compartments, a pulverized material carried in one compartment and adapted to flow into the other compartment, a partition separating the compartments, a valve carried by the partition for controlling the passage of said material from one compartment to the other, an

actuating rod slidably mounted through said casing, weight means for moving said rod longitudinally of the casing, said weight means being located in the primary compartment and being adapted to be supported in an inoperative position by pulverized material located within the primary compartment, an indicator for the valve to facilitate the selective positioning of the in dicator to time the passage of pulverized material from the primary compartment to the anuxiliary compartment, the weight within the primary compartment being adapted to move the actuating rod longitudinally to cause the actuating rod to contact a selected object, a guiding sleeve for said actuating rod, a housing carried by the outer end of the guiding sleeve, a spring-pressed pin carried within the housing and engaging said actuating rod, the spring-pressed pin constituting a contacting extremity for said actuating rod, a resilient bumper cap carried by the outer end of the casing to provide a rest when the casing is inverted to cause material to run from the auxiliary compartment to the primary compartment while resetting the instrument.

'7. A timing instrument of the class described comprising a casing having a primary compartment and an auxiliary compartment, a pulverized material carried in one compartment and adapted to flow into the other compartment, valve means movable to and from an open and closed position for controlling the flow of said material from one compartment to the other, an actuating member movable in one compartment, latching means for positively locking said actuating member in an inoperative position, and means movable within one of the compartments for engaging and releasing said latching means when a predetermined amount of pulverized material passes from one compartment to the other compartment.

8. A timing instrument of the class described having a pair of communicating compartments, an actuating member movable in one compartment, pulverized material carried within one compartment and adapted to pass into the other compartment, a valve for controlling the flow of pulverized material from one compartment to the other, a latch for holding said actuating member in an inoperative position, latch-releasing means mounted within one compartment and adapted to be supported by said pulverized material in an inoperative position, and said latch-releasing means being adapted to release said latch from said actuating member when a predetermined amount of pulverized material passes from the compartment containing the latch-releasing means to the adjoining compartment.

FREDERICK H. HAGNER. 

